ROUGH sleepers took up home in a bank lobby, using it as a toilet and abusing staff who moved them on each morning.
Staff at HSBC in Eastgate Street, Chester, have tired of arriving at work to find human faeces, vomit and blood every morning and the lobby is now closed at 5pm every night.
Bank spokesman Tim Pie said: “The branch was refurbished last year at a cost of £1m but because it is a Grade II listed building we were unable to install external ATMs and had to retain overnight lobby facilities.
“The intention was to have a lobby service from 7am-10.30pm but within a matter of months a group of vagrant gentlemen started using it as sleeping quarters by going inside before the doors were locked and using the safety button to open the doors for friends.
“Soon they were sleeping in it from 6pm-8am and when the branch staff arrived they had numerous incidents of intimidation.
“There were faeces and urine to be cleared up, one case where a man exposes himself to staff and on one occasion a youth assaulted one of the homeless men. This was caught on CCTV and he has been prosecuted.
“Unfortunately this means we have taken the decision to open only during business hours. We fully appreciate why you would want to use the warm, dry lobby particularly at this time of year, but when there is a risk of violent and intimidating behaviour we simply cannot put up with that.
“We apologise to any customers who had a less-than-pleasant experience or who are inconvenienced by this.”
The lobby area is now open from 9am-5pm or 7pm on Thursdays.
